When fishing with a fishing rod, the fisherman has frequent occasion to perform incidental functions, such as baiting a hook, changing a lure, removing a fish, and the like. Difficulties are encountered in attempting to perform these functions and at the same time hold the fishing rod. In addition, the fisherman has occasion to leave the rod unattended, as when going to fetch a beverage.
The invention pertains to a fishing rod having a handle in which there is stored a fishing rod supporting bolt. The handle has an interior axial bore at the end of the handle. The bolt has a shank located in the bore axially movable therein and having a pointed end extendible outward of the bore and handle upon outward axial movement of the shank. The bolt is releasably securable in the outwardly extended position whereby the shank can be stuck into the ground or assembled in other structure, such as an oar lock, thereby to support the fishing rod and free the fisherman to perform other incidental functions. The bolt is readily retracted back into the handle so as not to interfere with the general use of the rod. A slot on the handle is open to the bore. A locking arm has a stem attached to the shank of the bolt and extending through the slot in the handle. A cap is located on the outward end of the stem so that the locking arm can be manually manipulated to extend and retract the shank with respect to the handle. Means are provided for securing the locking arm of the bolt in order to fix a position of the bolt.
In one form of the invention the fishing rod includes a pole having an axial passage open at either end of the pole for accommodation of a portion of the fishing line normally trained through eyelets. The handle is axially offset from the pole and a spinning reel feeds fishing line straight into the rear opening of the pole.